March 2018

After 104 Days on Strike, Christian Care Home Workers Win a Contract with Wage Increases, Favorable Health Insurance Provisions, and Seniority Protection

FERGUSON, MO—After 104 days on the strike line, nursing home workers at Christian Care Home are celebrating a long-fought for victory today—the settlement of a favorable contract providing for wage increases, fair provisions for health insurance coverage, seniority protection and prompt payouts of Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) and grievance settlements. While the last few months have been rocky, the Union looks forward to working cooperatively with the Christian Care Home management in the future.

Workers started their ULP strike on December 1st, following Christian Care management’s refusal to follow labor law. At the start of the strike, workers filed multiple ULP charges against Christian Care Home for making unilateral changes to staffing, hours and schedules, failing to provide relevant information in a timely manner, and otherwise restricting workers in the exercise of their rights.

As the strike progressed from days to weeks, and crept into the holiday season, management further challenged strikers’ resolve with additional unlawful acts, which resulted in workers’ having to file the additional ULP charges that Christian Care Home threatened recent hires with termination for joining the strike and denied accrued and earned benefits to striking employees.

“We went on strike because management wasn’t respecting our rights on the job, and then instead of doing the right thing—they showed us further disrespect,” said certified nursing assistant Brenda Davis. “I think they thought if they treated us badly enough, we would give up, but that just made us more determined to stand up for ourselves and our residents.”

With support from community allies, faith leaders, and elected officials, strikers braved a cold and impoverished holiday season, and reinvigorated their fight for a fair contract in the new year by marching in the St. Louis MLK Day march carrying signs invoking his legendary support of striking sanitation workers in Memphis 50 years before.

“From day one of their strike, I was impressed with how the workers were on the picket line not just for themselves, but for the whole community,” said Representative Bruce Franks, a vocal supporter of the strikers. “When they stood up for themselves on the job, they were demanding that they be treated with dignity and respect—and that all workers be afforded that same dignity and respect, whatever the color of their skin.”

Another outspoken supporter of the striking workers, Representative Cora Faith Walker, was a frequent visitor to the picket line—and made more than one visit to Christian Care management on strikers’ and residents’ behalf. “It was clear to me that workers had no choice but to go on strike given the multiple unfair labor practices they were facing,” she said. “And it was just as clear to me that management had an obligation not just to workers but also to residents to resolve these issues and treat workers fairly, so they could get back to providing care for the residents they love. I am inspired by the workers’ bravery and persistence. They won this victory, for themselves and for residents, by standing strong and not backing down.”

In late February, workers received a vote of confidence from another source—the St. Louis regional office of the National Labor Relations Board. The Board announced it had found merit to multiple Unfair Labor Practices the strikers had filed.

“We knew that the NLRB was likely to find in workers’ favor,” said Lenny Jones, Director of SEIU Healthcare Missouri, the union which represents the striking workers. “It was always a matter of timing and perseverance. Management seemed to be betting on workers giving up before Christian Care had to face any real consequences for their Unfair Labor Practices. But the strikers kept standing strong—and that meant Christian Care had to either settle a fair contract or go to trial.”

Tuesday, a little over two weeks after the NLRB finding in favor of the workers, strikers obtained a long-fought victory. The contract that management agreed to Tuesday, and which workers voted overwhelmingly to ratify yesterday, provides for:

Guaranteed raises throughout the life of the contract

Christian Care to pay the increase in health insurance rates for 2018, and to pay for half of any increase to insurance rates for 2019 and 2020

Payouts of Unfair Labor Practice and grievance settlements within 10 days

Respect for worker seniority as workers return to work, with striking workers returning to their original status and shift, as feasible with current facility occupation rate

Striking workers to be back at work by Monday, March 19

Elected and faith leaders, community allies, and residents’ families will join the Christian Care Home strikers on the morning of Monday, March 19, to usher them back to work after their long and eventful strike and to celebrate their hard-won victory. A advisory will be sent out soon with details on the walk-back victory celebration.

Chicago – Late yesterday, tens of thousands of Illinois caregivers for people with disabilities received the good news they’ve waited seven months for: Governor Rauner’s move to withhold a $.48 raise that the General Assembly approved in last summer’s budget deal was illegal.

Rauner had refused to release the increase to Personal Assistants, who have not seen a raise since December of 2014 with the overwhelming majority earning only $13 an hour. The $.48 raise was supposed to have gone into effect on August 5, 2017 per state law:

*P.A. 100-0023, Article 30, Section 30-20: “Within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, the hourly wage paid to personal assistants and individual maintenance home health workers [in the DHS Home Services Program] shall be increased by $0.48 per hour”

Personal Assistants in the Home Services Program provide vital home care services for more than 30,000 Illinoisans with disabilities, enabling them to live at home with dignity and independence. This work saves taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year by avoiding costly nursing home care.

Alberta Walker, Personal Assistant and SEIU Healthcare Illinois Executive Board Chair released the following statement in response to the Court’s ruling:

“This decision reinforced what we have said from day one – Bruce Rauner’s choice to withhold these raises for 28,000 low-income caregivers was not only cruel, it was illegal.

“The work we do as Personal Assistants is difficult, and it is even harder when you are living in poverty doing it. Too many skilled, reliable caregivers are forced out of the home care industry due to this reality. The General Assembly’s approval of this $.48 increase recognized those two facts and were aimed at stabilizing the workforce and reducing turnover.

“We are relieved and grateful for the Court’s decision, but continue to question why Governor Rauner would waste taxpayer resources on a quest to deny a meager raise to caregivers who selflessly provide life-line services to Illinoisans living with disabilities in every county of our state.”

State Representative Greg Harris added:

“I am thrilled for the workers who care for our most vulnerable people with disabilities. The court did the right thing in siding for the caregivers and against Rauner in another of his ploys to drive down wages for working people.”

Chicago – Late yesterday, tens of thousands of Illinois caregivers for people with disabilities received the good news they’ve waited seven months for: Governor Rauner’s move to withhold a $.48-cent raise that the General Assembly approved in last summer’s budget deal was illegal.

Rauner had refused to release the increase to Personal Assistants, who have not seen a raise since December of 2014 with the overwhelming majority earning only $13 an hour. The $0.48-cent raise was supposed to have gone into effect on August 5, 2017 per state law:

*P.A. 100-0023, Article 30, Section 30-20: “Within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, the hourly wage paid to personal assistants and individual maintenance home health workers [in the DHS Home Services Program] shall be increased by $0.48 per hour”

Personal Assistants in the Home Services Program provide vital home care services for more than 30,000 Illinoisans with disabilities, enabling them to live at home with dignity and independence. This work saves taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year by avoiding costly nursing home care.

Alberta Walker, Personal Assistant and SEIU Healthcare Illinois Executive Board Chair released the following statement in response to the Court’s ruling:

“This decision reinforced what we have said from day one – Bruce Rauner’s choice to withhold these raises for 28,000 low-income caregivers was not only cruel, it was illegal.

“The work we do as Personal Assistants is difficult, and it is even harder when you are living in poverty doing it. Too many skilled, reliable caregivers are forced out of the home care industry due to this reality. The General Assembly’s approval of this $.48-cent increase recognized those two facts and were aimed at stabilizing the workforce and reducing turnover.

“We are relieved and grateful for the Court’s decision, but continue to question why Governor Rauner would waste taxpayer resources on a quest to deny a meager raise to caregivers who selflessly provide life-line services to Illinoisans living with disabilities in every county of our state.”

State Representative Greg Harris added:

“I am thrilled for the workers who care for our most vulnerable people with disabilities. The court did the right thing in siding for the caregivers and against Rauner in another of his ploys to drive down wages for working people.”

CHICAGO MEDIA AVAILABILITY

Who: Personal Assistants in the Home Services Program impacted by today’s decision and Terri Harkin, Vice President of the Home Care Division of SEIU Healthcare Illinois will be available for comment

We have some excellent, breaking news to share – WE WON our lawsuit against Governor Rauner regarding the $.48 raise for Personal Assistants and Maintenance Home Health workers! The judge just ruled that Rauner broke the law by illegally withholding our $.48 raises since last August 5, 2017.

The judge agreed with us that when the General Assembly passed their budget last summer and included a $.48 raise for Personal Assistants and Maintenance Home Health workers that the governor had to follow the law and pay it.

Since he refused, the State owes PAs and Maintenance Home Health workers back pay for every hour worked since August 5, 2017 when the raise was supposed to take effect, and the judge ruled today that the State must pay up by March 21, 2018.

While this is a huge victory for us, Rauner can try to appeal the judge’s order. We all know that the Rauner administration cannot be trusted to do what is right or to follow the law so we are ready to continue this fight if it comes to that.

Hundreds of PAs and consumers have taken action over the last several months to keep the pressure on Rauner and our hard work has paid off. Rauner has held our raises for seven long months and finally today we are vindicated in court.

Congratulations to every PA and Maintenance Home Health worker. This fight may not be over so stay tuned for more updates.

Margaret “Margie” Hoffa has been an active member of our union and has embodied what is possible when taking an active role in her hospital and the social justice movement.

She began her career in healthcare in Corpus Christi, TX, in the 1970’s starting in the dietary department and quickly made
the transition to the pharmacy. After several years working as a Pharmacy Technician in Texas, Margie moved back to the Kansas City area in the 90’s and continued her pharmacy career at Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park, KS where she still works today.

She was promoted to the Pharmacy Buyer in 2005 and has been a valued employee at the facility. Margie was instrumental in the
union drive at Menorah ensuring that her coworkers have a more even playing field with management. While Margie was active in the election campaign, she also went on leave for four months immediately after the election talking to her fellow healthcare workers about why being involved is so important. She was elected to the bargaining team for the first and second contracts and also was elected as a union steward by her coworkers at Menorah.

According to Margie, “Being on the bargaining team was one of the proudest moments I’ve had as an active union member because you are fighting for the best improvements you can for those who you work side by side with.” Margie also takes pride
in her involvement with the Fight for $15 campaign because, “It’s about raising all workers in this country up!”

Many have seen her getting involved and taking action, and as a result Margie was elected to the SEIU HCII Executive Board and has been a dedicated advocate for workers in Missouri. As part of her duties on the Executive Board, she helps to advise and direct the overall policy of our union.

Margie has done it all –from volunteering on campaigns, assisting in union organizing drives, attending lobby days, and representing us in meetings in New York and California.

If there is any wisdom that Margie would like to pass on to other union members or potential members, it is that ‘people need to get involved’ and ‘you need to know your contract’ so you can be prepared to act in the best interest of yourself and your co-workers.

Besides being an active member of the union, Margie is also a mother of two and has a new grandson Owen out in Colorado. When not protecting her fellow workers’ rights, she can be found listening to the cheering crowd at Royal’s games and enjoying time with her pets. Margie is a great example of what is possible when a member gets involved to lead our union and sets the standard in Kansas City.

One of member leader Shirley Caston’s favorite sayings is that “A closed mouth never gets fed.”

These are words that Caston’s mother imparted to her years ago, and she has held them close ever since as a reminder that a person should always speak up for what they need and for what is important in life.

Shirley is a 31-year employee in the medical industry spending time working as a Rehab Tech, a Patient Care Tech, and now in her current position of 16 years as a GI Lab Technician at Research Medical Center in Kansas City. Shirley is also an active member in her union, serving as a shop steward and as a member of the bargaining team for three contract campaigns.

“I understand the union difference because I remember how it was before we won our union at RMC,” said Shirley Caston. “For
example, our performance reviews were always low no matter how good an employee you were because they were tied to wages.
Now we get fair reviews and guaranteed raises in our contract! We also have real voice in decisions that impact patient care matters and allows us to make things better.”

When talking to Shirley about what makes her so passionate about her being involved in our union she says that it is learning
about politics and then being able to educate those in her community and at her church.

“I really enjoy taking part in the Fight For $15 activities because I wasn’t old enough to participate when the civil rights movement
was happening. Now I too am part of something that generations after ours will benefit from.”

Speaking of the next generation, Shirley is a grandmother of five and spends as much time as she can with her grandchildren. She loves taking them to the park or out to bowl, and enjoys some competitive dominoes with them too. Shirley is also a proud fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, watching the games with family and friends.

Shirley Caston is an active participant in her family life and her union life because as she puts it, “You can’t sit around and wait for someone to fix it for you!” This is advice that she would give to any new union members.

And Shirley doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk too, helping out on important union campaigns from Chicago to California knocking doors and talking to fellow healthcare workers about issues she holds dear.

Onzell Brown, Roseland Hospital on the south side of Chicago, spoke at multiple press events at the State Capitol to demand that the Illinois Hospital Association produce a hospital assessment and new Medicaid formula that would protect safety nets.

Press Release

(March 13, 2018, Chicago) – SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana, the union that represents several safety net hospitals in Chicago and East St. Louis, issued a statement after Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the new hospital assessment and federal Medicaid funding formula into law.

Safety net hospital workers strongly criticized Gov. Rauner and his administration for endangering the Hospital Provider Assessment program and the entire $3.5 billion in federal Medicaid funding by waiting until the very last minute to pass the bill, which now must be approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Despite having three years to address and pass a new hospital assessment during the Governor’s entire time in office, Rauner was essentially absent during the process and showed little leadership or concern about the potential risk of safety net hospitals being forced to close due to severe cuts and loss of federal Medicaid funding.

Gov. Rauner’s gross mismanagement of the process and the complete lack of transparency from both Rauner’s Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) and the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) contributed to this result. Safety nets still do not have the resources to expand access to quality healthcare to low-income patients and families that serve communities of color.

Dramatically investing in safety net hospitals has the potential to improve health disparities among communities of color, provide more job security and better wages for hospital workers providing care, and thereby strengthening the overall local economy. But that vision and opportunity was not realized by Gov. Rauner nor the IHA.

“Despite Gov. Rauner’s absent leadership during the debate to protect our safety net hospitals, we nonetheless thank the state legislators from both sides of the aisle, and from both chambers, who worked together to pass this new Hospital Provider Assessment. We especially applaud Rep. Greg Harris, Chair of the Human Services Appropriations Committee, for his leadership on this issue,” said Greg Kelley, President of SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana.

The hospital assessment includes a sunset provision in 2020 that will require lawmakers to vote to renew and preserve the vital program.

“Moving forward, we will demand an open and transparent process that includes all relevant stakeholders, especially our frontline hospital workers at our safety nets, to have a real and substantive voice in this process. As we stated before, the IHA should not have so much power and influence over the Medicaid program in Illinois,” said Greg Kelley, President of SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana.

Greg Kelley added, “We honor and deeply appreciate our safety net hospital workers and community leaders who mobilized and got engaged on this issue. The hard work and grassroots activism from our member leaders proved to be instrumental and more proof why organizing is absolutely essential to fight powerful corporate interests.”

CHICAGO (March 12, 2018)—A busload of senior citizens and millennials gathered outside 16 W. Jackson today to announce their intentions to early vote in the upcoming primary elections and encouraged others to do likewise.

Spokespersons emphasized the importance to vote early instead of taking a chance on inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances that may prevent voting on Election Day.

Progressive leadership is needed to fight the attacks by the Rauner administration on social programs depended on by vulnerable populations and to protect funding for such things as colleges and universities, the group said.

“We are here to show that we are united, both elders and millennials. We’re crossing the generations to win back our most precious rights. Why are we in such a mess, because we didn’t get out to vote (in 2016),” said a feisty 98-year-old Bea Lumpkin of the Illinois Association of Retired Americans.

“Public higher education is increasingly becoming financially out of reach for working-class and first generation college students,” said Jeff Schuhrke, a member of Graduate Employees Organization and a Ph.D candidate at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

“If the past few years have taught us anything, both here in Illinois and across the country, it’s that elections have consequences. I’m here today with this inter-generational alliance to encourage everyone who has the privilege to vote to use it,” he added.

Nursing home worker Ozzmon Dumas said he was voting for more than himself. “I’m also voting for the residents I care for because we all are under assault by a greedy group of wealthy individuals and corporate interests that want to horde the wealth of our nation for themselves,” he said.

An activist in the Fight For $15 minimum wage movement and a member of the millennial Future Fighters, Dumas added, “I shouldn’t have to work 40 hours every week and still not be able to meet the bills of my modest budget. I’m supporting candidates that support the rights of workers to organize a union free of fear and intimidation from their bosses.”

“It’s important that my generation remembers not to just vote during the general election but during state elections. It’s important who the governor is, who these judges are. It’s important to put people in office who are representatives of the people,” said Jessica Disu (aka FM Supreme), an activist with the Chicago International Youth Peace movement.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) also participated. Following the press conference, group members walked into the building to vote.

Seniors, Millennials Unite to Address Critical Issues and Get Out The Vote to Save State Programs

Photo credit: Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans

CHICAGO—With social programs for seniors and students, as well as child care and home healthcare services continually under attack, senior citizens and millennials are joining forces Monday, March 12th, to speak out about the importance for all generations of Illinoisans to participate in the electoral process.

The speak out – with participants ranging in age from 98 to early 20s – will be held outside 16 W. Adams St., at 11:15 a.m. Participants will then walk into the building to early vote.

Despite the divergent life experiences and decades between them, the seniors and millennials will speak out about the need to support candidates in the primary election who will protect services so the candidate can then participate in the November general election.

WHEN:
11:15 a.m., Monday, March 12, 2018

WHERE:
16 W. Adams Street, Chicago, IL

WHO:

Dozens of seniors and millennials bridging the generational gap to vote to protect and expand funding and programs impacting Illinoisans of all ages. Speak out at 11:15 a.m. outside 16 W. Adams St., then participants will enter building at 11:30 a.m. to Early Vote.

Many may remember Harris v. Quinn, which was a Supreme Court case decided back in 2014. That court case was backed by the Illinois Policy Institute, also known as IPI, and their deep-pocketed funders, like Bruce Rauner and other millionaires and billionaires who use their money to silence the voice of workers.

IPI and the Bruce Rauners’ of the world got the decision they wanted in that case and they hoped that it would translate to thousands of PAs leaving our union and ending their membership. They figured that if members left our union we wouldn’t have the resources we need to fight their horrible policies.

Harris v. Quinn was similar to other attacks that we’ve seen across the country on our ability as workers to join together and unite in our unions. Like right-to-work laws or another Supreme Court case that will be decided later this year, Janus v. AFSCME, these laws and court cases are just ways to undermine the power we have when we organize.

With Harris v. Quinn, IPI and Bruce Rauner were trying to weaken us. But little did they know, we were prepared and had already been hard at work signing up thousands of new union members across Illinois to keep our union strong. And it’s a really good thing we did because as soon as Bruce Rauner took office he started attacking PAs and the people we serve.

First, he tried to kick thousands of people with disabilities and seniors out of home care programs by changing the DON score eligibility.

Then, Rauner illegally capped our hours with his dangerous DHS Overtime Policy and he took away the rights of consumers to choose who provides their care.

We’ve also been negotiating a contract with Rauner for almost three years and he’s proposed things like eliminating our health insurance, our paid training program, and he demanded a wage freeze. He’s also withholding the 48-cent raises that the General Assembly approved in the budget deal that was passed last summer.

The only thing that’s stood in the way of Rauner doing whatever he wants are the personal assistants in our union. It’s because of the power we have that we were able to stop his changes to the DON score. We also delayed the terrible overtime policy for two years and we continue to fight it. We’ve held the line at the bargaining table too, refusing to allow the governor to take us backward. As soon as we found out he was withholding our raises, we filed a class-action lawsuit that demands the release of our money and back pay to August 2017 when the raise was legally set to take effect.

Since we know that right-wingers are doing whatever they can to take away our voice, PAs in our union have decided that we must do everything we can to build the strongest union possible.

Harris v. Quinn didn’t have the effect IPI and Bruce Rauner wanted and we now see a new attack that’s coming from the Federal level to undermine our power, which would take away our right to have our union dues deducted from our paychecks through payroll deduction.

PAs in our union have launched the Home Care Fight Back Fund so we can start to pay our union dues directly from our bank accounts or credit cards – just like we pay our phone bills, utility bills, and any other type of bill. The Home Care Fight Back Fund will ensure that whether or not the Trump administration takes payroll deduction away, we will continue to have a powerful union. No court case or federal changes will be able to get in the way.

Hundreds have already signed up in the last month! The amount of dues won’t change and they’ll still be taken out when we get paid.

It’s essential that every PA sign up so we can build the strongest union possible.

For now, we will just pay $1 per month with this new system, but if payroll deduction rules change we will be ready to pay our full union dues directly from our bank accounts.

It seems like every year Bruce Rauner has a new attack on PAs and people with disabilities in his budget proposal, and this year is no different. As you probably already know, our union won a 48-cent raise in the state budget that was passed last summer for personal assistants. This raise is long overdue because we haven’t had one since our pay went up to $13/hour in December of 2014. It’s now more than 3 years since we have had an increase, and yet the cost of everything else keeps going up.

State lawmakers recognized that and wanted to do what was in their power to see that we got an increase to help reduce turnover and allow people to continue to do this important work.

Unfortunately, Bruce Rauner has refused to implement that raise which should have taken effect August 5, 2017. Our union filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of every PA to force the governor to follow the law and we are still waiting on a decision in that case.

However, in Rauner’s budget proposal, he wants to eliminate the raise altogether. And that’s not all – Rauner also wants to eliminate health insurance for Personal Assistants too!

Thankfully what Rauner wants is just a proposal – it’s up to us to convince our state lawmakers that his proposal is garbage and make sure they protect our raise and our health insurance in the budget that they ultimately pass. We have the power to stop this, we just have to stick together and do the work that’s necessary.

Governor Rauner’s overtime policy has been in effect since August of 2017. It caps hours at 45 hours per week for PAs and forces consumers to hire additional caregivers if their care plans go over 45 hours per week. It’s a dangerous policy that threatens the health and safety of people with disabilities. It’s unfair to PAs and it takes away the rights of consumers to choose who they want to provide their care – regardless of how many hours that person may work.

Our union and disability advocates have fought this policy since 2015 and we continue to do so. Last fall an administrative law judge ruled in our favor, saying that Rauner illegally implemented the policy because he refused to negotiate with our union over it.

Because PAs have a union, Rauner cannot just change the rules like this. He has to NEGOTIATE! The Rauner administration has appealed the judge’s decision though and now we are waiting for the Illinois Labor Relations Board to release a final decision. They have a meeting every month but so far they have not ruled on this issue. We are ready to spread the word quickly when we do get a decision so PAs know.

For those PAs who have received occurrences under the policy, DHS has said that they will not suspend or terminate anyone under the policy until the Labor Board releases their decision. There’s been a lot of misinformation about what these occurrences mean and some PAs have reported that they thought they were already suspended, but that is not the case. There have not been any suspensions or terminations due to the overtime policy so if you’ve been told otherwise by your DORS office, please report it to our Member Resource Center at 866-933-7348.

Regarding the fight to win the release of our $.48-cent raises, our class-action lawsuit is also ongoing. On Valentine’s Day in Chicago, PAs and people with disabilities did an action calling on the governor to have a heart and release our raises. He’s just wasting our time and taxpayer money with this and he should just follow the law and give this up.

As a reminder, our lawsuit demands that Rauner release the raises and it calls for back pay for every personal assistant for every hour worked since August 5, 2017. We don’t know when we will get a decision on that lawsuit, but we feel confident that we will prevail because the law is clear. Again, as soon as we have an update we will share it out widely.

Finally, our fight to restore the old pay dates and our negotiations over our new contract continue. Our bargaining team is standing strong at the negotiating table, maintaining our demands for raises and protection of our health insurance and paid training program. We also continue to demand a restoration of our old pay dates. Unfortunately, the State isn’t budging and there hasn’t been any progress. This is yet another example of why we have to elect a new governor this November. With Rauner, it’s been nothing but stagnation and unreasonable demands that eliminate the things we’ve fought hard to win. We’ve come so far and we cannot allow one man to take us backward.

This November is critical to the future of home care in Illinois. Our jobs and the services our consumers depend on are at stake. We have to talk to everyone we know about making sure Bruce Rauner is a one-term governor. Whoever wins the Democratic primary on March 20 will be a better option. All the candidates stand with home care workers and the people we serve – they’re committed to strengthening our programs and our jobs. Those are the kind of people we need in office.